Numerous agents have been introduced for the treatment of disturbances of lipid metabolism. CLOFIBRAT was one of the first representatives of the group of aryloxy-isoalkane acids. Because of its weak activity a series of derivatives, for example ETOFIBRAT or ETOFYLLINCLOFIBRAT as well as structural analogs such as BFZAFIBRAT, FENOFIBRAT or GEMFIBROZIL were developed. However, they resembled CLOFIBRAT with respect to undesirable activities, which led to the conclusion of a similar mechanism of action. Known side effects include gastrointestinal reactions, loss of appetite, nausea, allergic reactions, myositis, myalgia, and impotence as well as increase in serum creatinine, serum urea and the lithogenic index; a lowering of alkaline phosphatase, an increase in creatinine phosphokinase and stimulation of peroxisome formation.
Circumvention of these deficiencies appears to be possible only through the discovery of new agents, based on clearly modified structures which may be expected to lead tochanges in biological properties.